Bad Days Are Opportunities

Having a bad day results from something, it can be miniscule to large. No matter what causes your bad day there is always a solution. Perhaps not to fix it but make it better. I have run into one of those bad days,today, as I’m writing this.

Today was my night to work the closing shift at my store. No big deal. Can’t stand getting home so late when my boyfriend goes to leave the nigh shift but there is a bright side. Long ago I knew I would have to always think of the bright side if I was going to continue any life that was successful. That bright side was to sleep in. The other side is that this career was my choice. The mistake I made waking up was being curious about the 12 new emails my phone had waiting for me. So as I got ready for work I read them. Already I knew I was going into work to put out some fires but then the fires began to spread. Nothing that was absolutely horrible but for me, any small issue is a big issue. I don’t like having things lying on my plate or waiting for me. I prefer to get everything dire out-of-the-way so I can focus on the now without worry of the future.

To make that day all it can be surely I get to work and I’m ambushed. Putting out fires, talking about woes, then my own personal frustrations that have nothing to do for work weigh my subconscious down. It’s amazing how things like to pile up instead of being spread out. Bad day or not it is all perspective. There were two ways on how I could continue my day. One, I could just say screw the world and act with my attitude. That didn’t seem right. I knew in the end that a bad attitude perceived by others would lead to a ripple effect. Its like the common cold. People catch it and spread it around. So I chose option 2. Option 2 is more difficult. The easy path seems like option 1. I had to remind myself that the penalties would be of a greater risk if I left my attitude to the future. Option 2 meant that I had to talk to myself and make myself feel better because no one in my proximity understands my situation and can’t offer helpful advice to turn me around.

Today I am laying out my personal steps to option 2 that work majority of the time (or at least make people think it worked). I hope that my simple tips will help your future bad days.

Breathe. Its so simple yet so easy to forget. I don’t mean the breathing that keeps you alive, I mean deep breaths. Clear out the muscles in your face and body that are causing you to hold back all the frustration and carry it on your shoulders.

If that isn’t enough take a walk. I took a walk from my store to the gas station. Bought an energy drink to my liking to enhance my energy that had been drained out of what was feeling like a lifeless body.

Then I talked to myself. I said to self, “Today is just today. Tomorrow will be a different day and far from now you won’t remember this day. Nothing tragic has happened. No lives are lost, no families in crisis. Everything that seems important isn’t in the grand scope of things. Though today you have been reminded why helping people can lead to worse circumstances, that is not the tone for everyone. Some people are more voistrous than others therefore it may be more painful. Today somebody wanted to put you in a place to make you feel lower than they ever could feel. But why? Who are they to say who I am when my actions are not at fault and I am my best everyday even when it is not enough. Who are they? One thing I can answer is: Who am I? I am an individual with feelings and I deserve to have a say in what I feel about.”

The next step after my pep talk was to have something to look forward to instead of disappointment. So I thought to myself, “Self, what would be a great treat for you that would make you remember today will come to an end and a new one will start?” The answer was a special treat from a bakery. Every day they make a certain kind of cupcake and today was my day. My favorite chocolate chip cupcake with cookie-dough frosting was available. Now I have something to look forward to when I get home after dinner.

The last step in making myself feel better was this blog, which normally would be an entry in my journal of all my thoughts. Since I was having a harder day then usual I realized that I could make a difference with other people. I could share my bad day and the way I try to spin it around for everyone else’s sake of being around me.

Bad days are usually mind over matter and someday something sweet and satisfying to take off the edge. The world is yours to take, don’t let anyone else make you feel less than that.